lifehackerlifehacker LifeHacker LifeHacker Computer won't turn on! 4 steps to definitively identify the cause
Laptops are like delicate beasts. To some extent, it's okay to hit or drop it.
Sometimes you can drop it from your desk and it will be fine, but on the other hand, if the timing, angle, or position of something heavy hitting you is bad, it can ruin it.
Desktop computers are in a case, so in theory they're a little more protected. That doesn't mean it's tough, though.
This wasn't a question asked in our Tech 911 column by a Lifehacker reader, but users asked for help on Reddit, so I thought I'd summarize it here.
I hit it lightly and it won't turn on
Redditor u/dyingquickly's question is:
Generally, when your computer crashes like this, it's a pretty good signal that you need to do some troubleshooting.
If you're lucky, you might have a power outage or just a loose cable. You may have touched the button on the surge protector.
After fixing the problem, turning the computer back on, and doing a quick disk scan, you should be able to do what you were doing before (auto-saving unfinished work and browser tabs). I hope you are.)
STEP 1. Check if the power cable is disconnected
Suppose a chair, a leg, or a pet (a bit silly but hateful) bumps into your desktop computer. This is classified as a "hard impact" rather than a gentle one.
If the computer doesn't boot in this case, I first suspect that an important cable has been unplugged and won't boot.
Although it's a hassle, I recommend opening your desktop computer's housing and making sure all cables are properly plugged in.
If there's a cable that's loose or plugged in weirdly, that's probably the culprit (motherboard main power cables need to have a locking mechanism to prevent them from being unplugged).
Don't miss anything. I start with a fat 24 pin cable and a thin 4/8 pin cable.
STEP 2. Unplug and Replug Important Cables
If you're not immediately sure if a cable is missing, take the more troublesome step of unplugging all cables and plugging them back in again. will be
I'll start with the essential cables first: motherboard, graphics card, modular power cable, etc.
Let's do the same with the SATA cable and the cable connecting the hard drive to the power supply (the motherboard should be able to POST even if it is not connected to the hard drive, but just to be sure) prize).
Also check the connections on the small front panel of the system. An unplugged front panel cable can cause your computer to not boot, but if your motherboard won't turn on (no lights), it can also be the cause.
If you have a power button for your motherboard that you can use to boot your system, and everything works fine when you press it, the problem is most likely with the front panel cables.
Also, check the back of your computer. There are a lot of cables behind it, including the power cable, so it is possible that something is missing and the computer is not turning on.
While it may feel like you've tried all sorts of troubleshooting, it's often the cables you wouldn't normally think of that are the culprit.
Let's also clear the CMOS. I doubt this is the cause, but it's worth looking into if you can't think of any other solutions.
STEP 3. Consider rebuilding the system (although it's troublesome)
When the computer was hit, something inside the chassis was in a place where it shouldn't be, and the motherboard's power supply It is also possible that is no longer available. It could be a cable, or it could be a screw you accidentally left out when building your system.
However, if you have no idea what the cause is, disassembling and rebuilding the system is likely the best way to fix the problem. I don't know how long it will take, so I use this as a last resort.
And just in case you need to rebuild your system, do it step by step.
Start by exposing the components of the system. Unplug the CPU from the motherboard, remove the RAM, disconnect all wires.
Once you've removed the components, it's time to connect everything back together as if you were building a computer from scratch.
Connect the basics like motherboard, RAM, video card and try to power on the system. Will the BIOS boot?
If it does boot, turn off your computer and plug in the rest of your hardware one at a time to determine what is causing it.
STEP 4. Determine which component is broken
If the computer still won't turn on, call a friend. Try putting the hard drive in a friend's system or an external enclosure to make sure your data isn't corrupted (and back it up if necessary).
See if you can borrow a power supply for the core components of your computer. If my friend has extra RAM, let me use it. And see if your video card works on your friend's system.
At this point, there is a good chance that you will have a good idea of what is broken inside the system, so there is a good chance that you will be able to identify the broken hardware.
I've done this before, but I've never had any fun digging it up, so I hope I don't have to.
I want to read together
How to fix PC shutting down after sleeping
After all, is it okay to leave my laptop plugged in? Is it bad?
Image: Alberto Garcia Guillen, Guryanov Andrey/Shutterstock.com
Source: Reddit, BleepingComputer.com
David Murphy - Lifehacker US [original]
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